Gardening

Whether you're planting a container garden or getting a vegetable plot in shape, you need the right tools to till, weed, trim, and water. Our experts have dug in to find the best gear—from a low-maintenance composter to a hassle-free hose—that'll keep your green space beautifully in bloom.

After spending more than 10 hours digging, cutting, and scooping dirt with 24 models, we found that the Wilcox 14” Garden Trowel is the best garden trowel for most gardeners. The single-piece, stainless steel Wilcox’s edge and shape penetrates the soil better than any other trowel, its wide blade scoops more soil than any soil knife, and it’s nearly indestructible.

After testing garden gloves for sensitivity, grip, and protection by peeling grapes, picking up oiled marbles, and grabbing raspberry canes, we found the Atlas Nitrile Garden Gloves are the best option. They’re cheap (at $4 per pair in a six pack) and aren’t the best at any single task, but they’re better all around than gloves that cost four times as much. Plus, they stood up well in the wash, unlike most inexpensive cotton gloves.

After spending more than 50 hours comparing and testing weeders on dandelions, garlic bulbs, and more, we found the Nejiri Gama Hoe is the best tool for most gardens. Sharp and compact, this tool digs into a much wider variety of plants than the competition. It's also the only model we tested that could handle weeds growing in pavement cracks.